Roomates
by Lady-Sango77
Summary: Sango has the perfect grades, the perfect life, and she goes to a perfect school. So when that school decides to change up the living arangements, her new roomate won't mess her up, right? Redone!
1. The News

**(A/N: As promised, I am back. And so is this story. I went through and changed a lot of things, it may not even seem like the same story. And this chapter is VERY long :) Please review!)**

**Chapter 1: The News**

The crowd roared when the music ended. It was the best they had done this year. In the front row, as usual, Sango was ecstatic. She smiled at her public, they were screaming her name. She glanced across stage to see what was taking the curtain so long. The people backstage were having trouble bringing the curtain down. The Shikon Private School Shimmers Dance Group did as they were taught stayed perfectly still, smiling, until the curtain fell.

Sango could never see who was in the audience during performances. She was constantly in motion on the stage, as well as temporarily blinded by the bright stage lights, but it was the nerves that kept her eyes away from the long rows of chairs in front of her. She had nothing to be nervous about though. She was the best dancer in the Shimmers, and had pretty much grown up on stage. But the nerves always found her. In the dressing room, in the hallway, in her room hours before the performance, sometimes even backstage, seconds before she would run out and please the crowd.

She took this opportunity to glance around the room and see who was out there, so happy that they had done so well. She squinted through the lights and scanned the room. She saw many of the girls parents, including Kagome's mom. Inuyasha was there, for Kikyo no doubt, Sango figured. She knew, way too long ago, that no one would be out there for her.

Suddenly a shadow in the back of the room caught her eye. The shadow was tall, taller than her, standing uncomfortably hunched over with his hands shoved into his pockets. _Is that….no_, she thought, _it can't be._ Sango squinted harder, leaning forward slightly, trying to make out a face. Suddenly the curtain finally came down.

"Oh My God!", Sango best friend, Kagome, screamed, "That was the best EVER!! Sango that choreography was incredible! You're so talented!"

Kikyo, standing next to Sango had heard the whole thing. She made a "hmph" noise and stomped off to the dressing room. Sango ignored her.

"Kagome, how did u get up here so fast? You end all the way back there." Sango pointed across the stage.

"I was so excited! I just can't stay still!" Kagome practically yelled.

Sango laughed at her eager friend and started toward the dressing room with Kagome at her heels. The two had been practically inseparable since about the 7th grade. Kagome had introduced Sango to the drama club, which Sango was brilliant at. And Sango introduced Kagome to dancing, which Sango was also brilliant at. Kagome didn't mind following in Sango footsteps, even if it constantly left her one step behind, as long as they were together.

Kagome wasn't bad at the things she did. Just not as good as Sango and she knew it. But Kagome was a good sport. Instead of envying her best friend for excelling in the things she lacked, she used it to her advantage. Sango being good at pretty much everything gave Kagome a personal tutor, dance trainer, acting coach, voice coach, chef, therapist and the best friend she could ever have. Kagome wouldn't trade it for the world.

The two girls walked to the dressing rooms when Kagome's mother came into view, talking with Kikyo's mother.

Sango slowed her pace, "I'd go see your mom but…"

Kagome rolled her eyes, "Sango, Kikyo's mom doesn't hate you. I'll see you later." Kagome started off to her mother. Sango made a sharp right and went in the dressing room to stay unseen. If she thought she had escaped the battleground, she was wrong.

Kikyo stood in the mirror, admiring her lipstick. Her eyes narrowed when Sango walked in. Sango stopped in the doorway, considering going outside to be ambushed by Kikyo's mother. _Oh well, _she thought,_ I have to pick the lesser of the two evils._ She ignored Kikyo's unwelcoming stare and sat in her chair in front of the mirror.

Kikyo cleared her throat, "So Sango, that was a great performance." She had a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Thanks?" Sango replied, unsure of how to take her comment. This was not what she was expecting.

"Of course," she continued, "I would have to wonder how bad it would have looked without me there." She smiled.

Sango rolled her eyes. _There's the Kikyo I know._ "Whatever, Kikyo. I'm not in the mood for your jealous tantrums."

Kikyo glared at her. "If there is one word to describe how I feel about you, it would not be jealousy. It would be pity."

Sango kept her eyes on the clothes she was changing into, trying to control her emotions. "Kikyo, shut up." She said quietly.

"I mean," Kikyo continued, "I've always wondered what it was like to have your whole family killed because of your selfishness. It's got to be hard." Kikyo smirked at Sango through the mirror.

"Kikyo, shut up. If you know what's good for you, you'll shut the hell up."

"So what was first? Oh yeah, FIRST, you made your mom drive you to this audition, right? Then what Sango? I can't seem to recall the story." Kikyo chuckled under her breathe.

Sango didn't say anything. Just continued getting her stuff together.

"Oh that's right. You made her take you to this audition even though she was sick. Was that when the drunk driver smashed into the drivers side of the car, Sango?" Kikyo continued to smile.

Sango shoved the things into her dance bag, taking deep breaths. She would not cry in front of Kikyo.

"Then what happened to your father and brother Sango? Didn't you beg your dad to give you $100 for a down payment of the dance school you wanted to go too? Then when he was at the bank with your brother, the robbers came in. Isn't that right, Sango?"

Sango stopped packing stuff into her bag. She stood silently, concentrating on her breathing. Two things she would not do to Kikyo, two things that would give her satisfaction, cry in front of her and hit her. And Sango was on the verge of both.

"Poor, poor, Sango," Kikyo said, smiling, "How must it have felt, knowing you lost your whole family and it was all your fault?"

Sango slammed her hand down on the table, "SHUT UP KIKYO, SHUT THE HELL UP!" She screamed.

"Sango?" Kagome starred at her through the open door. She looked at Kikyo and narrowed her eyes. Kikyo stood silently, looking at Sango, with a slight smile on her face.

Kagome looked back at Sango, who was starring at the floor, "Come on, Sango," She said with her eyes back on Kikyo. Sango gathered her things and threw the bag over her shoulder. She walked to where Kagome held the door open, waiting for her.

"Nice talking to you!" Kikyo yelled, when Kagome let go of the door. Sango turned around fiercely, ready to march back in the room and punch Kikyo's lights out.

"Sango!" Kagome said, holding her back, "Sango, stop it! Kikyo's a bitch! Everyone knows that. It's not worth it. You know she will run straight to the headmaster and have you shipped out of here!"

Sango pushed off the wall she was leaning on and headed to their dorm room. Kagome followed behind her and talked about everything, it seemed, just to keep Sango's mind occupied. But her thoughts had already drifted away.

_Stupid Kikyo. I oughta kill her. I bet the whole world will be happy. She's just mad that I always beat her at everything. She can't be as good as me. Well that's her damn problem. She doesn't need to bring my family into it. It's been this way since Middle School. Why do I let her get to me so bad? Hah, if Miroku had been there- Wait, Miroku? Was he the person I saw at the back of the auditorium? It can't be. He hasn't come to a performance of mine, since …. God, I don't even remember. I can't believe we've stayed in the same school for all this time and never said a word to each-_

"Sango? Hellloo?" Kagome waved a hand in front of Sango's face, breaking her thoughts, "Anyone home?"

"What?" Sango asked.

"I asked you, about three times I might add, if you had your key? I left mine inside."

Sango looked around. She couldn't believe they had made it back to the dorm already. She stuck a hand in her pocket and fished around, finally pulling out a rusty bronze key.

Kagome took it from her hand and stuck it in the lock, turned it and pushed open the door, revealing a very mess room. Both girls stood in the doorway, admiring their mess.

"Wow," Kagome starred in shock.

"I didn't realize we let it get this bad," Sango said.

Kagome continued inside, promptly tripping over a shoe and almost falling to a certain death on top of a pile of various things. Sango gripped her arm and steadied her on her feet. Kagome laughed a little and proceeded, more carefully, to the living room.

"Did you hear about the meeting?" Kagome asked, flipping on the TV.

"No," Sango said, "We have a meeting?"

Kagome nodded, "School meeting, tomorrow at 3pm."

Sango sighed, "So that means, school from 8am until 2:45, meeting at 3 until whenever and dance at 4 until 8. Something has got to give."

"Better get to bed," Kagome said.

Sango sighed, "I'll practice a little bit first."

Kagome rolled her eyes at Sango as she sat herself down at the piano in the room.

The next morning, Sango woke up and proceeded to go through the motions of the day. 1st period, 2nd period, and 3rd period seemed to drag. In the middle of 4th period English, Sango starred absent-mindedly out the nearby window.

"Sango?" the teacher called, Sango jumped at the sound of her name.

"Yes?" she replied.

"You are needed up front. Pack your stuff; it says you won't be back." The teacher handed a note out to Sango, who took it and walked the long, lonely walk to the headmaster's office.

"Can I help you, dear?" the secretary said when Sango reached the office. Sango stayed quiet handing her the note. The secretary nodded and picked up the phone, punch a few numbers with her pen, and said, "I have Sango up here with a note …. Yes ….Sure thing."

"Wait just a few minutes, dear." The secretary said pointing at a few chairs in the back of the room. Sango turned to see the chairs almost full with people who may or may not been here for the same reason she was, but they had one thing in common, they had to wait.

As Sango got closer, she noticed there was only one available seat. On one side of said seat, a freshmen who she recognized that had tried out for the Shimmers in the beginning of the year and didn't make it. On the other side, Miroku.

Sango sucked in her breathe but walked at a steady pace to the empty chair and sat down silently next to Miroku. She felt Miroku look up and take a long glance at her. As much as she wanted to meet his gaze, she kept her eyes glued to the floor.

"What are you in here for?" Miroku asked suddenly.

Sango looked up slowly, not sure if he was talking to her, "I-I got a note. In English." She couldn't believe how hard that was to talk to him. It was just Miroku.

Miroku nodded, looking back down. Sango figured that would be the end of the conversation, but she didn't want it to be. She took a flying leap to keep it going.

"What are you here for?" she asked.

Miroku kept his eyes down but a slight smile crept up to his face, "I set a trashcan on fire this morning."

Sango's eyes widened, "Did you really?"

Miroku nodded again, "With Inuyasha. He's getting chewed out in there right now?" he nodded his head towards the headmasters office, "And I'm next."

Just then, Inuyasha stepped out of the headmaster's office, shaking his head and smiling at Miroku. Miroku started getting his things together.

"Sango?" the headmaster called.

"Actually," Sango said to Miroku, "I think I'm next."

Miroku held his hands up to defend himself, "Don't let me stop you."

"So what did the office want?" Kagome asked as her and Sango were on the way to the meeting.

"They just asked questions about my parents, I don't know. They asked if I had any living relatives." Sango replied.

"That's weird."

Sango and Kagome stepped into the auditorium and grabbed two seats near the middle. Sango starred at the stage. She's never seen it from this point of view before. She wondered how she looked up there from where she was sitting. Suddenly, she heard a burst of laughter two rows ahead of her. She looked over to see Miroku and Inuyasha, laughing at something. Kikyo was next to Inuyasha, trying to follow along with their joke.

Sango sighed. If this had been middle school, she knew her and Kagome would be over there with them. Involved in the joke and laughing along, instead of watching from a distance. Sango glanced sideways at Kagome; she was starring at them with the same expression she got every time Inuyasha came into her line of sight. Sango's thought drifted back, way back to 8th grade.

"_Sango, I can't fix everything!" Miroku yelled. In front of him Sango was red with fury._

"_I'm not asking you to fix everything, Miroku! I'm asking you to be a good friend. I just lost my dad and brother, goddamnit! You claim to care so much about me, but when I need you, you have something better to do. What kind of boyfr-" Sango stopped in mid-sentence, "What kind of friend is that?"_

_Kagome and Inuyasha sat in the other room, listening to the fight. "Poor Sango," Kagome said._

"_Feh! Sango? Poor Miroku is more like it!" Inuyasha chuckled._

_Kagome looked up at him, "What do you mean poor Miroku? Sango just lost her whole family in a 2 year period. Miroku acts like he doesn't even care."_

"_It's not Miroku's job to care about her! She's the one who constantly turns down his attempts to take her on a date! She's getting what she deserves!" Inuyasha yelled._

_Kagome's eyes narrowed. She could still hear Miroku and Sango's argument getting louder and louder. She considered letting Inuyasha's comment go, there was only room for one fight in that house tonight. She couldn't help herself. She took a deep breath and defended her best friend._

"Quiet students! Settle down!" the headmaster called, pulling Sango from her thoughts. She blinked a few forming tears away and listened.

The students got quiet as everyone was eager to hear the big announcement. A few rumors have been floating around since word of the meeting got out. Some said the school was shutting down after a budget cut, others said the girls were being kicked out and the school would go back to being an all boys private school.

"Okay, pay attention everyone. Up until this point, it has been a tradition in this school for two people of the same sex to share a dorm room. And that tradition also let you choose your roommate, within reason. The district has decided to try something new, starting with this school. Now, there will be two members of the opposite sex assigned to each room."

The auditorium erupted in chatter. Students talking and laughing and bitching. Some guys high-fived each other. Kagome was complaining loudly to a girl next to her that they had known from a former play they were in.

"Students, students, settle down!" the headmaster struggled to regain control, "This may seem very out there, but if it doesn't work we will go back to the old way. Now please go into the gym and find the table that begins with the first letter of your last name. There you will find an envelope with your name on it, followed by your roommates name and the room number. Please come back to the gym later tonight to get your key, when you pick up your new key you MUST turn in your old one! Thank you, that is all."

The headmaster walked off stage shaking his head. Obviously he was not crazy about the idea. Students stood up, filing into the gym to find out who their new roommate would be.

"Come on, Sango!" Kagome yelled dragging her into the gym and standing at one table.

"Name?" A women sitting at the table asked Sango impatiently.

Sango didn't even know if she was a the right table, "Sango." She said.

The women dug through a stack of papers, "Here we go," she said, handing Sango an envelope.

Sango grabbed the paper and stepped aside. Her stomach was full of butterflies as she ripped it open and pulled out a slip. Her eyes widened as she read it.

Sango, Miroku, room 213

Sango bit her lip and looked up. Scanning the room she found Miroku. He was just opening the envelope. He took out the paper and read it. He looked up, meeting Sango's gaze. They starred at each other for what seemed like forever.

"Who'd you get Sango?" Kagome appeared next to her, breaking their intense gaze.

Sango gave Kagome the paper. Kagome sucked in her breathe, "This will be interesting," she said, giving Sango her paper.

Kagome, Inuyasha, Room 220

Sango shook her head. Someone was out to get them.

"This is just perfect," Sango muttered.

"At least were right down the hall from each other," Kagome tried to sound positive.

"Come on, Kag, we have dance practice." Sango said. She looked at Miroku, who seemed to be in a deep conversation with Inuyasha. Sango bit her lip again and walked off the dance practice.


	2. The Move

**Chapter 2: The Move**

"Thanks for helping me move, Kagome," Sango said throwing the last box on her bed, "I don't think I could've done it so fast without you!"

"No problem," Kagome said, "Like I have anything better to do."

Sango threw her a glance, "You could be studying, practicing dance, your monologue, choir-"

"Okay, okay, so there are things I could be doing!" Kagome said, "But I would much rather be doing this."

"So," Sango started, nervous about asking her next question, "Talked to Inuyasha much?"

Kagome sighed, "No, I think we're just avoiding each other."

The girls were quietly unpacking Sango's things and putting them away, "What do you think is going to happen out of this?" Sango asked.

Kagome took a second to reply, "Probably nothing." She said quietly.

Sango stopped unpacking and looked at her, "You still love him, don't you?"

Kagome turned her back to Sango and looked out the window, "Yes," she said quiet, "I do. But he's with Kikyo now. What can I do? We haven't talked since-"

Kagome turned around to face Sango. Sango nodded knowing what she meant. They continued unpacking the boxes, not saying anything, but full of thoughts.

* * *

"Hey, Inuyasha, where do you want this box?" Miroku asked, carrying a box into the room.

"Just put it on the floor, or something." Inuyasha answered. Miroku smirked and dropped the box on the floor. It landed with a loud thud.

"Damn it, Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled, "I said put it down not throw it!"

Miroku laughed, "Calm down, dude."

Inuyasha muttered something under his breath. Out loud he said, "You don't have to stick around here if you don't want too. I mean, Sango's probably at your dorm and-"

"No," Miroku cut him off, "Besides, Kagome's there and I'm not in the mood to be torn apart today."

"Fey!" Inuyasha said, "Damn women, all they do is complain about their rights and feminism and sisterhood. Makes me sick."

"Ahem," Kagome stood in the doorway, eyeing Inuyasha.

Inuyasha looked at her for a moment and then looked back down. Kagome rolled her eyes and walked into her room and shut the door behind her.

"Is that how it's always going to be between you two?" Miroku asked.

"What else can there be?" Inuyasha said, "We haven't spoken since 8th grade. We go out of our way to avoid each other, only to be shoved into the same dorm room by this stupid school."

Miroku looked at him, "Maybe its fate."

Inuyasha laughed, "Dude don't start," he said, "Or I'm going to start questioning you and Sango."

Miroku turned away from Inuyasha, and let his thoughts take over.

"_Sango, I don't know what you want from me." Miroku said._

_Sango stood in front of him, looking down and holding back tears. She could hear Inuyasha and Kagome fighting in the next room. She hoped it wasn't about her this time._

"_I told you, many times, what I want from you, Miroku," Sango said coldly, "And you just can't follow through." With that, Sango slipped off the bracelet that Miroku gave her for her birthday, "I'm finished."_

_Miroku looked at her, "You're not serious," He said quietly, "Sango please-"_

_Sango shook her head, "I've tried over and over again. It can't go on this way," she continued to hold the bracelet out for him to take. Miroku looked at it._

"_I'm not taking that," He stated._

_Sango looked at him, then back down, and dropped the bracelet on the floor at their feet. She walked around Miroku, opened the door and walked away. _

_When she reached the living room of Inuyasha's house, the screams got louder. Sango could feel Miroku behind her, probably going to see what they were fighting about, too._

"_Inuyasha, you don't care about anyone! Sometimes I'm not even sure if you care about me!" Kagome yelled, she was crying at this point._

"_Honestly, Kagome, sometimes I don't!" Inuyasha yelled back. Kagome starred at him with wide eyes. Sango couldn't stand to see her friend like that. _

_Kagome glanced over to where Sango and Miroku were standing watching. She took a breath, and calmly said, "Well, I guess that's all I needed to know then," she turned to Sango, "Are you finished here?"_

_Sango nodded. Kagome grabbed her jacket and walked out the door. Sango hesitated. She looked hard at Inuyasha, who was standing still, starring at the floor. Sango watched Kagome stand outside, crying. Sango knew Inuyasha didn't mean it._

_She walked out the door and met Kagome where she was waiting in the yard. She put a hand on her shoulder and Kagome turned into her and cried into her shoulder. Sango started walking, leading them away from that house._

"Alright," Inuyasha said, "I think we're done here."

Miroku nodded, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Miroku started to walk across the room headed to the door, "Wait, Miroku." Inuyasha said.

"Are you going to be okay?" Inuyasha asked quietly, eyeing Kagome's door, "I mean, with Sango and everything?"

Miroku studied his face, "Yeah I'll be fine."

Inuyasha continued, "And that thing you said about fate, apply it to your own situation. This is your last chance."

Miroku nodded walked out the door and down the hallway to his own room. When he arrived, he stood outside the door, starring at the three numbers, and getting up the nerve to walk inside.

_213..213..213…what if she hates me? What if I can't fix it? ..213..213..what if I waited too long?...21-How can I even begin to explain? The reason I was so distant when her family died was so stupid and selfish! How can I even tell her that's I've loved her since 8__th__ grade but because I'm an idiot I let her go?_

Miroku sighed and turned the handle. When the door opened, Miroku was hit by a wave a beautiful chords on a piano, mix with the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. Sango was sitting in the living room, at her beloved piano, practicing for the big choir concert next week. She hadn't even heard him come in.

Miroku shut the door quietly and sat down on the coach. The TV was on, the volume was down, but he was content just listening to her voice. It was one he had memorized since middle school.

On the table in front of him was a script from Romeo and Juliet with Sango's name written across the cover in a black marker. He picked it up and thumbed through it. All of Juliet's parts were highlighted. _Figures,_ thought Miroku, _She always gets the lead._

Suddenly the piano and the lovely voice stopped. Sango sighed angrily and rested her elbows on top of the keys, causing a loud, out of tune noise to fill the room. She put her head in her hands and shook out her hair.

Miroku smirked, "Something wrong?" He asked.

Sango whipped around, "Oh! I didn't realize you came home," She said turning back around. She played a soft tune on the piano before calling it a night and sitting on the coach next to Miroku.

"There's a note on the table I think you will be interested in," Sango said, quietly.

Miroku looked at her, then got up and walked to the table. There was a paper with SANGO/MIROKU 213 written on it. He picked it up and flipped it over.

ATTENTION: TOILET IN ROOM B IS NOT WORKING. JANITORS WILL BE THERE TO FIX IT AT 4PM THURSDAY. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX YOURSELF.

Miroku sighed. Of course room B was his, which was just his luck. But Thursday? It was barely Tuesday.

"You can use mine until then." Sango said, as if reading his mind.

Miroku looked up. She was sitting on the couch, watching the TV, with the volume still down. She looked beautiful in her black tracksuit, her hair hanging down loosely. Miroku shuddered.

"Thanks," he managed to reply, "Sango?"

Sango looked away from the TV, searching his face for a clue to the question he was about to ask.

"Could we- Do you think….I think we should talk about what happened in 8th grade."

Sango raised her eyebrows and looked back towards the TV, "Do you?" She asked.

"We can't live together with all this tension, Sango. And I-I owe you an explanation." Miroku starred at the ground.

Sango flipped off the TV, but kept her eyes straight ahead. Miroku returned to the couch and took his place beside her. Sango sat quietly. He said he wanted to explain, so she waited for it.

"So the thing is," Miroku started, "In 8th grade, I really liked you, I mean a lot. And I kept asking you out on dates and every time you shot me down. I know sometimes I made it seem like I was just messing around, but I never was, Sango, not even once. And every time I heard 'No' come out of your mouth, it just hurt so bad. You were all I dreamed about, and just to get stood up like that, it hurt."

Sango looked up at him, "How does that explain why when I came to your door, countless times, for help because my whole family was dead, you just turned your back?"

Miroku looked ashamed, "I'd rather not tell you."

"You brought this conversation up, Miroku." Sango said.

Miroku took a deep breath, "Your right. Okay, the reason I was so bitter was…because..I wanted to hurt you as bad as you hurt me. And I know it was stupid and immature and heartless, and if I could go back in time and change my behavior, I would in a second," He glanced at Sango. She was starring at the ground, expression unreadable.

"Sango! Your must believe me! I have felt so guilty about this for 3 years!"

Sango threw a deadly look at Miroku, "And is that supposed to make me forgive you? My whole family died, and you decided to use that time to get back at me for not going on a date with you?" She sounded furious.

Miroku shook his head, "Sango, I-I…..Just let me tell you how much I-"

Sango got off the couch and stomped toward her room. When she got to her door she whipped around, "Save it, Miroku. Save it for somebody who cares! That's low, even for you."

Miroku was taken back. That bitter, cold tone. The venom dripping from every word. That was not the Sango he knew. She shook her head and walked into her room, slamming the door behind her.

_Dirtbag,_ Sango thought bitterly, _he traded in a friendship for revenge! And he thinks now that he has come clean I'm just going to forgive him and we can pick up right where we left off in 8__th__ grade? I don't think so!_

To calm herself, Sango picked up a book and settled in for the night.

About an hour later, Sango heard a knock at her door. She glanced up from her book and stayed quiet.

"Sango, It's me. I just want to talk to you." Miroku called from behind the door.

Sango rolled her eyes and put her book down. She settled in her bed and turned off the light. Suddenly the door open and Sango's eyes snapped shut. Miroku stood in the door for a while, trying to decide if he should just leave. Instead, he stepped into her room and sat at the edge of her bed.

After a long moment, he said, "I'm so sorry, Sango. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you. I won't ever forgive myself."

With that, Miroku stood up and walked casually out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Sango opened her eyes and starred in the darkness.

_Oh man, _she thought, _I knew this was going to happen._ She pulled her covers over her head and fell into a restless sleep.

Miroku turned off the lights in the living room and headed into his room. He pulled out a box from the shelf in his closet. He sat on his bed and looked at the top of the box before opening it.

The box had a few pictures. Of him and Sango, taken by Kagome when they went to the beach. Of Sango and Kagome, on the same day. One of Sango by herself. This picture was his favorite, she was sitting at her desk in her bedroom one afternoon when all four of them were at her house. She was writing something in a notebook. Miroku remember picking up the camera, positioning in to get her in the shot and then called her name. When she looked up he pressed the button and lit her image up in front of him.

She got mad at him, but when he got the pictures developed he was stunned by her striking beauty, it was worth it. She was sitting at her desk in the picture, her hand still finishing up a word on the paper. Her head was still down only looking up slightly with her eyes, and a half smile on her face.

Miroku but the pictures aside and picked up the last thing in the box. It was a silver shimmery bracelet, the exact one she had left at his feet the very night their lives change 3 years ago. He picked it up and dangled it around in his fingers.

"_Happy Birthday, Sango!" Miroku called, seeing her walking up to school with Kagome. When she reached him, he pulled her into a hug._

"_I hate birthdays." She said into his chest._

_He laughed, "I know you do, but I couldn't help myself." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Sango rolled her eyes._

"_I told you, no presents!" She scolded, still smiling._

"_Yeah, yeah," Miroku said, "Just open it."_

_Sango opened the box to reveal a silver bracelet that sparkled in the sunlight, "It's beautiful." She said, starring at it, "Simply beautiful, thank you."_

_She leaned forward and kissed him quickly on the cheek. She smiled and followed Kagome, who was nagging her to hurry up, to class._

Miroku sighed and put the contents back into the box. _Oh well, _he thought, _maybe someday, it will all be okay._


	3. The Secret

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it! I forgot to but the disclaimer on my other chapters but yeah...You know the drill.

**Chapter 3: The Secret**

Sango stood at the bathroom mirror, getting ready for school yet again. She was very precise on her looks. Sango's mom taught her many things about acting, singing, dancing, being yourself, and, the big one, personal hygiene. Her words rang in Sango's head.

_You must always look your best. No one has a crystal ball spelling out their entire day. You must be prepared for things that will only come once. The day you leave without taking a shower or brushing your teeth, could be the day and agent walks up to you on the street, offering you a job. He won_'_t_ _if you look like that_, _let me tell you!_ And then she would laugh.

Every time Sango felt the urge to sleep a few more minutes and just throw her hair in a ponytail, those words come into her mind and she forced herself up and into the shower.

Sango starred at herself in the mirror. Curling iron in one hand, hairspray in the other. She sighed. _Why do I bother?_ She thought, _It's just going to get ruined and end up in a ponytail at dance practice in a few hours anyways._ She shook her head, adjusted the iron and kept going.

Suddenly her bedroom door opened and in came a half asleep Miroku, clumsily walking through Sango's room and passing her in the bathroom. Sango scooted closer to the sink, letting him pass.

He stopped in front of the toilet and started doing something with his pants.

"Miroku, what are you-" Sango stopped. He began peeing.

Sango's eyes widened and she turned away quickly, sending her hair flying and the curls coming undone, ruining all of her hard work, "Miroku!!" She screamed, "What are you doing!!"

Miroku looked confused. He finished and made himself decent again, "You said I could use your bathroom."

Sango slowly turned around, making sure it was over. "I didn't mean while I was in it!"

Miroku laughed, "You should have clarified the rules better!"

She shook her head and went to grab the bottle of hairspray again. In the process, her arm knocked the curling iron off the counter, sending it flying down to the ground. It landed right on Sango's foot, leaving a burn mark.

"Ow! Shit!" She yelled. She tried to get out of the way from the death iron, but ended up tripping over the bathroom rug and falling straight for Miroku.

He held out his arms but he wasn't quick enough. She fell into his chest with tremendous force sending them both hurdling towards her shower. Miroku tried to grab the shower curtain to steady them but it snapped under all the weight and they both landed in the tub. Miroku's foot accidentally kicked the cold water on, soaking them from head to toe.

Sango felt the cold water on her back, soaking through her pajamas, and, of course, her hair. "No!" she yelled, clumsily jumping out of the tub and heading for the mirror. She starred at her drenched hair in horror.

"I was almost finished! It's almost time for school!" She looked at Miroku, who was still in the tub smiling.

"Well," he said, "That's one way to take a shower."

Sango screamed in frustration. She ran a brush through her hair but nothing worked. She glanced at the clock, they had 10 minutes to get to class. She stomped out of the bathroom and into her walk-in closet. Miroku got out of the tub and shut off the water. Sango came out of the closet muttering to herself, completely changed, her wet hair hanging down her back.

As she came closer Miroku could make out her words, "I don't even know why I try, I know why I'm just bad luck. I spend all freaking morning getting ready just to be soaked by the damn shower," She looked at Miroku, "Aren't you going to get ready?"

"There's no point," He said, "They won't let us in if were late."

"I am not going to be late," Sango said, grabbing her school bag off the chair, "But if you want to give up your education because you're lazy, fine with me." She shut the door behind her and headed to school.

Miroku sighed. _Always on the go, _he thought. He walked back into her bathroom and cleaned up the mess they had just made.

"What the hell?" He said looking at the curling iron on the floor, "What kind of torture devise is this?"

He reached down and picked it up by the handle and looked at it. _It's like an alien probing wand,_ he thought, laughing. He took a finger and touched it to the metal.

"Ah! Goddamnit!" He dropped the iron to the floor. It landed on his foot, leaving a mark in almost the same spot it did Sango, earlier.

"Piece of shit!" He yelled, holding his foot. He carefully picked up the iron, by the handle. He pulled the cord out of the outlet and threw it in the trash. _Sango will thank me for getting rid of that, _he thought proudly.

He continued to clean her bathroom, then moving on to her room, picking up the clothes she threw out of her closet in her frantic rush to get dressed.

He sniffed the air, "What is that smell?" He thought. He followed the scent back to the bathroom. "What the? ….Oh shit."

* * *

"Alright everyone!" The teacher yelled to her class, "For the last 15 minutes, I want you to work on your chapter reviews with a partner!"

The class erupted in chatter and students started dragging their seats across the room. Kagome slid her chair up next to Sango, who was already flipping through the book to find the page.

"So," Sango started, "Talked to Inuyasha?"

Kagome sighed, "Sango, don't start. Nothing is going to happen between us. I don't even want anything to happen."

Sango gave Kagome a look and she sighed, "No, we haven't talked." She said quietly.

"Well," Sango said, "I had a wonderful conversation with Miroku last night."

Kagome threw her pencil down, "Oh my God! Tell me _everything!"_

Sango laughed, "Well I was just minding my own business when he said he wanted to talk about what happened, so I was like alright, whatever. He told me that he was never joking around all those times he asked me out and when I said no, it really hurt him. So then when my dad and brother died, he decided he was going to use it to get back at me. To hurt me like I had hurt him. What kind of sick game is that?"

Kagome shook her head, "Typical guy. Only thinking about himself. That's so horrible! Your family _died._ What a jerk."

"He said he was sorry. And then later when he thought I was asleep he said he was sorry again. I don't know. I don't know what to believe."

Kagome smirked, "Sounds like you know what you want."

Sango shook her head, "Don't start that, Kagome. Nothing is going to happen. I'm still really mad about what he did to me."

"Sango, it was 3 years ago! I know it was mean, but he was immature. And it sounds like he's really sorry."

Sango shrugged and continued her work. Kagome got the hint and let it go. Someone came inside the class room and said something to the teacher. The teacher nodded and pointed in Sango's direction. The man cleared his voice and read from the slip.

"Sango? Can I see a Sango, please?"

Sango looked up, then over at Kagome, who shrugged and waved goodbye. Sango gathered her stuff together and walked out in the hallway, where two school staff members were waiting.

They walked up to her when she walked out and the women said, "Sango, dear, there's been a problem in your dorm room."

Sango looked back and forth between the man and the women. She sighed, _how do I know this has something to do with Miroku?_

* * *

Sango turned the corner quickly, practically running to get to her dorm. Miroku came into her view, he was standing in the hallway, watching the firemen make their way inside.

Sango slowed her pace, but continued to stomp right up to him. He turned his head and saw her coming. He smiled sheepishly;_ I'm so dead, _he thought.

"You set my bathroom on fire?!" She shrieked when she got close enough to him.

"Not on purpose!" Miroku said defensively, "I was just trying to help!"

"Trying to help? TRYING TO HELP?! What could you possibly be doing to 'try and help' that sets my bathroom on FIRE?!"

Miroku looked down, "It's a long story."

Sango crossed her arms in front of her, "I have time."

Miroku took a deep breath, "Okay, it's like this. After you left, I decided to clean up a bit, you know, fix the shower curtain, pick things up. I picked up that curling … thing. It burnt the shit out of me so I dropped it and it burnt my foot! Just like it did to you this morning! So I thought, why would she want something that causes her so much pain? So I thought I'd do you a favor and I threw it in the trashcan. I continued cleaning until suddenly I smelt something burning in the bathroom, so I went back and suddenly I was starring into Dante's Inferno!"

Sango leaned back against the wall and rubbed her temples with her fingertips, "You threw my curling iron…in the trash..and set my bathroom…on fire?!"

Miroku nodded and opened his mouth to say something, but the two school staff members turned to corner. The man turned in the room to talk to the firefighters, while the women approached Sango and Miroku.

"Okay, you two. We understand this is an accident," She said, eyeing Miroku, "But you can't stay in this room, while it's in this condition. So you need to pack up your things and we are moving you down the hall to room 221. Here are your new keys, "She pulled two keys out of her pocket and handed them to Sango and Miroku, "You have one hour to pack up your things and take them your new room. You will be excused the rest of the day."

The man and the women left and Sango and Miroku walked inside the burnt room. Sango didn't say anything to Miroku, she just went into her room and started packing. Miroku watched her go, before turning into his own room and packing up.

**Miroku's POV:**

She acts like I did it on purpose. I was only trying to help out. It's not my fault that she uses weird things that are hotter than the sun on a daily basis. She has changed so much, it's almost like I don't even know her anymore. I understand we've spend 3 years apart, but how much could she have changed in 3 years? I've known her since we were 5.

Sango and I were best friends in kindergarten. Back then, we were both the only child in our families, so our mothers were actively involved in the PTA and school functions and stuff. They instantly hit it off and had many lunch dates and dinner parties together, which Sango and I would always see each other at.

We started talking, or more like playing, more and more until we were pretty much inseparable. We shared countless sleepovers together, tea parties, and sometimes she got me to play Barbies with her. I enjoyed it more than I would ever tell her.

We stayed that way all the way until 5th grade, when her mother died. Her death changed something in Sango. She wasn't the happy, imaginative, fun-loving little girl I used to know. She started working more on her dancing. Going to practice, and even practicing on her own when she didn't have practice. That's where she met Kagome.

Every time I called to ask her to hang out with me or something, she was always busy. I missed her, but I found other things to do. I met Inuyasha when he moved a few houses down from me. Sango and I drifted apart.

We didn't talk to each other very much. We said hi when we saw each other and occasionally have that awkward I'll-ask-you-how-you-are-to-be-polite conversation. It was like that until 7th grade.

Kagome and Inuyasha met in their science class on the first day of 7th grade. They hit it off right away, and it was quite obviously they have fallen for each other, even though Inuyasha would never say it. There was something softer about Inuyasha when he was with Kagome. The rough exterior he put up tends to fade away around her. I was happy for them.

They started hanging out a lot, dragging me and Sango with them. Over time we started talking when we hung out with them, that lead to talking on the phone a little, and then, hanging out alone. The more time I spent with her, I realized she was still the same girl that I had known my whole life. And I quickly fell in love.

I asked her on a lot of dates, which she always turned down. I could never figure out if it was because she didn't want to ruin our friendship, or if she simply wasn't interested. But I kept trying, and felt a pang in my heart with every 'no'.

7th grade faded into 8th grade, but the four of us stayed the same. We spent countless nights alternating the houses we would take over. Sango's one weekend, Kagome's the next, then mine, then Inuyasha's, and so on. We would invade the living room, making popcorn and camping out all weekend, watching movies and playing games. It was the happiest time of my life.

I remember the day perfectly. Sango didn't come to school. We were all wondering where she was. When I got home from school I called her house but there was never an answer. I started getting worried.

The sun was going down when I gave up calling. About an hour later, my doorbell rang. I jumped up and ran to the door, where I found Sango. She was crying, her hair wasn't brushed, and her clothes didn't match, but she had never looked more beautiful to me. I asked her what was wrong and she told me about her father and brother.

We stayed on my porch until late that night. I held her while she cried and told her everything would be alright. But something felt wrong. I felt cheated. I was comforting the very girl who had broken my heart countless times.

I know it was wrong to act the way I did, but at the time, it felt right. I finally felt in control of something. I couldn't control how Sango felt until then. Depending on how I acted would either make her happy or sad. Before, it never would have fazed her.

After that fight in 8th grade, where Sango and I ended our friendship, and Inuyasha and Kagome ended their relationship, I never forgot about her. I felt horrible for what I had put her through. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror without feeling disgusted.

One night I was walking around my neighborhood, thinking. I passed by the school and noticed the parking lot was full. I remember Sango and Kagome had a dance performance that night. I realized this would be the first one I would ever miss. That thought alone, made me sick.

I bought a ticket at the door and stood in the back of the auditorium, biting my lip when Sango was on stage, and sulking when she wasn't. I haven't missed a performance to this day.

**Sango's POV:**

I don't understand Miroku. Well at least that's one feeling I'm used to. I NEVER understood Miroku. When we were in kindergarden, he and his mother came to my house and we were in my room having our usual tea party. He asked me if I had ever been in love.

The look in his eyes was so intense, it scared me. I had only heard of love on TV, or when my mother said it to me. I told him yes, I loved Barbie very much. He shook his head and turned away.

That memory stayed with me my whole life. The intense stare on me, the way he bit his lip, waiting for my answer. After we stopped talking in 5th grade, when I wasn't dancing or with Kagome, I thought about him and I thought about love. I desperately wanted to know what it was, or what he meant.

Many people don't understand why I blew Miroku off in 5th grade, trading in my life long best friend for Kagome, a girl I hardly new. The truth was I didn't understand either, until recently. Miroku held too many memories of my mother. When I saw him, I saw her face, telling us to 'settle down please', 'come inside before it rains', or 'my dream is for those two to get married'. It hurt too much. I couldn't pretend that everything was okay around him.

So I met Kagome. She didn't know who I was before then. She didn't know my mother and my mother didn't know her. She didn't push me to talk about it, and she wouldn't say 'something's just changed in you', because she didn't know. She didn't know any of it. And I liked that. She bought my fake-ass smiles and sad excuses for the tears. She couldn't read me like Miroku could, at least, not back then.

When Kagome told me about Inuyasha in the beginning of 7th grade, I was taken back. I had seen Inuyasha with Miroku a lot, and that scared me. I had spent a year burning bridges with Miroku, being careful not to let him back in, only to be blind sighted by a sudden connection that I had no control over.

But I thought of Kagome, and all the things she has done for me. All the parties and school functions we had missed because I knew Miroku would be there. So I sucked up my pride and followed her to the mall that day, to meet Inuyasha and Miroku for a movie. Over time it got easier to be around him, until suddenly, it felt normal again.

A year later, in 8th grade, at one of our many sleepovers, I found the answer I had been searching for. It was Kagome's house this time. We were sitting around watching a movie, Kagome got up to get more popcorn and Inuyasha followed, leaving me and Miroku alone.

We started talking about the movie, which just so happened to be about love. We started laughing at something he said, when suddenly he stopped. He looked at me the same way he did so many years ago. He lifted one hand and brushed my hair out of my face.

"Have you ever been in love, Sango?" He asked.

I closed my eyes. _Yes,_ I thought, _with you._

Instead, I opened my eyes and met his unwavering stare, "Yes," I said, breaking into a smile, "I love Barbie very much."

He smiled and shook his head. He lifted up the blanket we were sharing and shoved me underneath, trapping me. I shrieked until he finally let me out. I sat up gasping for air and he pulled me into a hug.

"Sango, Sango," he said running his fingers through my hair. I sat there, in his arms, feeling more comforted than I had in a long time. I wanted to tell him the truth, but I couldn't.

After that night in 8th grade, the fight that split the group up, I couldn't get Miroku out of my head. I hated him for the way he acted towards me, for the way he treated me. But when I saw him in the hallways, I felt the urge to walk up to him and tell him everything. But I would stop myself. I would think, he doesn't care about you, let it go, and walk away.

I still feel that urge. I'm tired of carrying all this weight on my back. So many secrets that I need to set free. But to let one spill would cause an avalanche, sending them all flying out at once. I couldn't risk it.

**Regular POV:**

"Is that everything?" Miroku asked, picking a box up off Sango's floor.

"I think so," She took one last look around the room. She walked into the living room checking all the tables for forgotten things.

"Will you get the last two boxes in my room?" Miroku asked, "They're small."

Sango nodded and walked into his room. On his bed sat a small box, and on top of that a smaller shoe box. Sango picked them up and began walking out of the room. In her clumsiness, she walked halfway into the bedpost, jerking her to one side and knocking the shoe box off the pile.

It landed on the floor, sideways, throwing of the lid and spilling its contents to the floor. Sango stood, amazed, and starred at the ground. In the box were the 3 pictures of her. And farther away, the silver bracelet sat on the floor. Sango got on her knees and picked up the bracelet.

It felt the same as she remembered. Shimmered the same in the light. It was like she had never left it behind.

"Sango?" Miroku called from the living room.

Sango shoved the stuff back into the box, "Coming!" She yelled. She picked up the boxes and walked out of the room.

"I think that's everything," Miroku said, taking one last look around, "Let's go."

Sango nodded and followed him out the door. She stood in the doorway, looking around the room once more, before shutting the door lightly, and walking away.

A/N: REVIEW!! :)


	4. The Change

**A/N: Thanks for for the reviews! I put more Inu/Kag in here than the last chapters!! Please review!!**

**Chapter 4: The Change**

Kagome giggled into the phone, "He set your bathroom of fire trying to save you from the curling iron?"

On the other end of the line, Sango laughed a little, "Yeah, I was so mad at first. But now that I've gotten over, I realized how funny it actually is. And now that my bathroom is burnt to a crisp, we are in the dorm right next to you and Inuyasha. How cool is that?"

"Awesome!" Kagome yelled, "And double awesome that you got out of school the rest of the day! If I were you, I would be thanking Miroku." Kagome made a sharp right into her history class.

Sango rolled her eyes and laid back on her bed, "Just because we've said 5 words to each other doesn't really mean were on good terms."

Kagome sighed, "Sango, I really have a feeling that he's truly sorry. Maybe you should just put it behind you guys."

"Kagome, were older, more mature, we can't just go back to our almost-middle-school-romance."

"Then start a for-sure-high-school-romance." Kagome suggested.

Sango sighed and shook her head, "I don't know. I'll see you in dance tonight."

"Okay, Bye." Click.

Sango laid out on her new bed in her new room. _Maybe I should go talk to him and just put everything behind us, _she thought, _but if I start trusting him now, how do I know he's not going to turn around and be a jerk again?_

Sango let out a frustrated sigh. _I guess we can't get anywhere without talking_, she thought. With that, she got up off her bed and walked into the living room. She found Miroku sitting on the couch, flipping through the TV channels. He stopped when he saw her.

"I...um...I think we should talk." Sango said, not making eye contact.

Miroku nodded, flipped off the TV and scooted over for her to share the couch with him. She walked over and sat down.

"So, I start?" Miroku asked. Sango nodded.

Miroku took a deep breath, "Okay, I know that what I did to you was wrong. It was so wrong. And I'm an ass for doing that. I'm worse than an ass. I don't know how to make it up to you."

Sango tried not to get mad, "Just start from the beginning. That's all I need right now."

"Okay, when we stopped talking in the 5th grade, I was confused. I had never done anything to upset you, I was supportive about your mother. And still you kept blowing me off and I think I understand now why you did, but I was only a kid then, you were the only best friend I had ever had."

Sango shook her head, "That's no excuse, Miroku. I was only a kid, too."

"I'm not making excuses. I'm starting from the beginning; telling the truth all the way. Can I go on?" He asked.

Sango gestured with her hand for him to continue.

"So then when Inuyasha and Kagome got together and you and I started talking again, I was happy. I was so happy, I don't think I've ever been happier. I had my best friend back. But then something started…Changing."

Sango looked at him, suddenly interested.

Miroku took another deep breath, telling himself to go on, "I started feeling something every time I knew I was going to see you, I can't explain it. I think…I…" He stopped and sighed, giving up trying to find a right way to say it, "I fell in love with you, Sango. I fell hard, too. I think I even loved you when we were younger."

Sango looked at her feet as a memory shot up in her head, _Have you even been in love, Sango?_ She shook her head erasing the memory.

"And that night you came to my house after your father and brother…" He trailed off, looking for the right words.

"Died." Sango finished for him.

Miroku looked at her, "Right," he continued, "I wanted to be there and comfort you, I really did. I felt taken advantage of. You never knew this Sango, but I needed you. Not for anything in particular. You were like my air, my water, my everything. I needed you to _live_, it seemed like. But you always turned me down. And then when you needed me, it felt wrong, to just be there for you just like that. I know it was wrong Sango, I knew when I was doing it, it was wrong. But I couldn't stop. I was angry."

Sango was close to tears. Miroku jumped off the couch and got on his knees in front of her, "Please Sango, please just forgive me. I will never hurt you again. I promise."

Sango shook her head, "Miroku, you don't understand."

She pushed him aside and walked into the kitchen. Putting her hands on the counter as she starred into the wall.

"Then help me to understand, Sango! I can't read your mind." Miroku got off the floor and followed her.

Sango kept her eyes on the wall and shook her head. Miroku suddenly got angry.

"Then why are we having this damn conversation? I'm the only one being fucking honest around here!" He yelled.

Sango, in full out crying mode now, shook her head.

"I know you want to say something." Miroku said, "Come on, Sango, say it. What are you afraid of?"

Sango took a breath, "I..I.."

"What?" Miroku said, frustrated now, "What? Sango, say it."

Sango shook her head.

"Dammit, Sango." He yelled again, "Say it!"

Sango slammed her fists into the counter, "I fucking loved you, alright?!" She screamed, "I loved you so much and you just kept making me deal with it on my own! I couldn't go out on a date with you because it would ruin our friendship! Can't you see that? I was scared! I had already lost so much, I couldn't bear to lose my best friend too. Even if it meant keeping all my feeling tucked away and hoping they would just disappear."

Miroku watched her carefully, her shoulder were shaking from all the sobs coming out. He took a step forward, putting a hand on her back. She turned and pushed her face into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back.

"I'm sorry," he said, into her hair, "I'm so sorry"

* * *

Kagome giggled as she walked by Sango and Miroku's old dorm room, which had caution tape wrapped several times around the door. When she approached her own dorm room, she stopped and got the key out of her bag. She put it in the door, turned the handle, and stopped dead in her tracks.

On her very couch sat Inuyasha, with Kikyo on top on him, looking like they were about to round 3rd base. Kagome's stomach dropped and her eyes narrowed. Obviously they had no idea she was there. She slammed the door loudly, causing both of them to look up.

Kagome smirked, "How nice, I've always wanted a porno made right here, in my very room!"

Kikyo rolled her eyes and Inuyasha looked down. He pushed Kikyo off of him and grabbed the TV remote. Kagome walked into the kitchen, grabbed a water bottle and stalked off into her own room. She could her Inuyasha and Kikyo talking. No, not talking, arguing. She tried to make out what they were saying, but all she could hear were muffled voices. _What do I care?_ She thought, grabbing a book and reading.

A few minutes later, she heard the front door slam. She put her book down and walked to her door. She opened it and peaked out, seeing Inuyasha sitting on the kitchen counter looking at the door that Kikyo left through. Kagome quietly shut her door, looking around her room for something to give her an excuse to go out there.

She found a cereal bowl from that morning sitting on her floor. She grabbed it and opened her door and walked into the kitchen. She put the bowl in the sink and began washing it, feeling Inuyasha's stare on her back.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't bring her around here so much." Kagome said, drying her hands on a dish towel.

"Oh, are you speaking actual words to me now?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome shook her head and sighed, "We are roommates, Inuyasha, we have to talk sometimes."

"Why don't you want me to bring my GIRLFRIEND over here?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome cringed at the word 'girlfriend', "Because, I happen to hate her."

"Well she's not in your fan club either, Kagome."

Kagome whipped around to face him, "Why do you like her, Inuyasha? She's a bitch! She thinks she better than everyone else but she's not. She gets pleasure from other people's pain!"

Inuyasha jumped down from the counter, "What kind of question is that? Why do you like..like.." he searched for a proper situation.

Kagome waited patiently.

Inuyasha smirked, "Why did you like me?" he said coldly.

Kagome narrowed her eyes, "On the other hand, you two are perfect for each other. You're both selfish, mean, and you have no emotional connection to the rest of the world. You're both cold robots." She walked back into her room, but before she shut the door, she whipped around and said, "I hate you." And then she slammed the door.

Inuyasha stared at her closed door. _That's two slammed doors in my face in less than 10 minutes, _he thought.

* * *

Miroku laid on top of the couch, with Sango laying quietly on top on him. He led her from the kitchen to the couch when she had started to calm down and pulled her on top of him. She was quiet now, just a few sniffles every couple of minutes. _She will be asleep soon,_ he thought, laughing to himself, _She always sleeps after an emotional breakdown. _

He watched the TV, which was now on but muted, as to not disturb Sango. There seemed to be some kind of reality show on, with a bunch of people standing around then someone will come in and say something, sending some people to tears and other angry. Miroku just shook his head.

On top of him, Sango stirred, "What time is it?" She said into his chest.

Miroku picked up his cell phone, "4:22."

Sango jumped up, "Oh my God! Are you serious?" She ran into her room and started changing her clothes, muttering to herself.

Miroku followed her and stood in the doorway, watching clothes fly out of her closet. "What's the problem?"

"Dance," Sango said, "I'm late for dance. Oh my God, I'm so dead." She walked over to her sink and splashed cold water on her face. It didn't work, she still looked like she had been crying.

On her bed, Sango's cell phone buzzed. Miroku walked over and picked it up, "Kagome's calling," He yelled.

Sango shook her head, throwing her hair up in a pony tail, "I don't have time. I'll see you later." With that she grabbed her bag and ran out of the room.

* * *

Kagome sighed and snapped her phone shut, "She's not answering," she reported to Ayame, a fellow dancer, "I've tried four times already."

All the dancers were on the floor, stretching and waiting and trying to figure out what to do next. As Sango's best friend, Kagome was bombarded with questions,

"Where could she be?"

"I noticed she wasn't in school, is she sick?"

"Does it have to do with Miroku?"

"Well," Kikyo said, "If she doesn't show in 5 minutes, I'm taking her place as captain."

The rest of the dancers rolled their eyes, "Kikyo, shut the hell up. If your captain, you know everyone will quit," Kagome said coldly.

A few girls giggled but stopped when Kikyo got off the floor and walked straight up to Kagome.

"Kagome, I understand," Kikyo said, "Your just jealous because you want my boyfriend."

A few girls, who knew the whole story, gasped and whispered to each other. Kagome stood up and faced Kikyo.

"I want YOUR boyfriend?" Kagome asked, "Kikyo, you took my leftovers. You can't find your own boyfriend just like you can't find your own dance team. And you're just bitter because you know that the team can't go on without Sango, and you know that no matter what, I will always be Inuyasha's first choice."

Kikyo took a step forward but Kagome held her ground. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the gym door opening and slamming into a wall.

"Sorry, I'm late. I-" Sango stopped when she saw Kikyo and Kagome, inches away from each other, eyes narrowed, "What's going on here?"

Kagome didn't look away from Kikyo, "Nothing." She answered. She turned her back on Kikyo and walked up to Sango.

"Where were you?" She said, quietly, "You are never a minute late for practice. I was worried."

"Bunch of stuff. I'll tell you later." Sango said, noticing the 15 pairs of eyes on them.

"Alright, ladies," Sango called, "Let's get into our first-" She stopped noticing Kikyo and her two friends laughing, "Something to share?" She asked them.

Kikyo smiled, "We're just wondering if Miroku is as good as all the other girls say. Wanna give us your opinion?"

Sango stared blankly, "What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Sango, were all girls here," Kikyo said, "Your flustered all the time, your late for practice. I mean, it looks like you got changed in the dark. I hope you're on birth control." Behind Kikyo, her two friends burst into laughter.

"Kikyo, not everyone's a slut like you!" Kagome called.

"Kagome," Sango said, giving her a warning look. To Kikyo she said, "Thanks for your concern, Kikyo, but there is nothing going on between me and Miroku. Not that it would be your business if there was."

"Well-" Kikyo started, but Sango interrupted her.

"Get in your places!" She yelled, walking across the gym to start the music.

* * *

"Dude!" Inuyasha yelled, "You are so in there!"

Miroku rolled his eyes. He was sitting in Inuyasha's room and just finished telling him what had happened with Sango that afternoon.

"I'm not interested in being 'in there' anymore, I just want us to be okay." Miroku said.

"What are you talking about? Hit that shit before someone else does! She said she loves you." Inuyasha said.

"No, she said she loved me. Past tense. Meaning, I don't know if she still does."

Inuyasha thought this over, "Well, hit it anyway, and if you do it right she will fall in love with you, and if you do it wrong, well, at least you got some."

Miroku laughed and threw a pillow and Inuyasha. He got up and stood by the window, looking out at the court yard, "I don't feel like that towards Sango. She's so much more than a one night stand, or just a skirt to bag for fun. She's brilliant and beautiful and smart and funny. She's the whole package."

Inuyasha got up and put a hand on Miroku's shoulder, "Dude," he said, "You have so gone the gay way."

Miroku shook off Inuyasha's hand, punching him in the arm. "Well, look at it this way, do YOU see Kagome as just a skirt to take off?"

Inuyasha gave Miroku a death glare, "Not cool, man. That's not the same thing."

"How are you and Kagome different from me and Sango?"

"It just is!" Inuyasha said, he was getting frustrated and knock a cup off the table. Miroku and Inuyasha watched as it fell to its death, cringing as the glass shattered on the floor.

"You and your temper," Miroku commented.

Inuyasha cursed under his breath and walked to the couch, flopping down on it. Miroku joined him.

"Inuyasha, why are you even with Kikyo? We both know you can't stop thinking about Kagome."

Inuyasha grinded his teeth, "I don't think about that wench." He said, quietly.

"Inuyasha," Miroku said giving him a look.

Inuyasha took a deep breath, "I don't know. It's better than being alone, watching her go out with some other guy right?"

"But she's not," Miroku said, "She hasn't dated anyone since you. You know Kouga has been trying to get with her since the day you broke up, why do you think she hasn't gone out with him. Or with anyone, for that matter?"

"She's a lesbian." Inuyasha said.

"No, because she's waiting for you, idiot." Miroku said.

Inuyasha sat quietly, staring at the TV.

Miroku sighed, "Well, I'm going to go. Sango should be getting home soon. And so should Kagome."

Inuyasha grumbled a quick goodbye and Miroku set off to his own room.

* * *

"Good rehearsal, ladies," Sango said, ending practice, "Same time tomorrow."

The girls chattered as the filed out of the gym and into the locker rooms. Kagome came up to Sango, "I'm guessing something happened with Miroku?"

Sango smiled, "Not much gets past you, huh?"

Kagome laughed, "Just tell me."

"Long version or short?"

Kagome glanced around the room, "Short on the way to the locker room, then the long one later."

"Okay, well we got into a fight and Miroku just repeated everything he said earlier and I confessed my love for him all those years ago and then I ended up in tears and falling asleep with him on the couch, making me 20 minutes late for practice."

Beside her, Kagome squealed with excitement, "How cute!"

Sango rolled her eyes and pushed open the door to the locker room. Many girls had already gathered their stuff and were saying their goodbyes and goodnights. Soon, the room was empty.

Sango and Kagome began changing their clothes, talking about nothing in particular, when suddenly a door swung open and Kikyo, in all her glory, came in.

When she saw Sango and Kagome she smiled, "My two favorite people," She said, using her over-used fake voice.

Sango bit her lip and turned around, trying not to say the nasty words sitting on her lips.

Kagome muttered something under her breath that even Sango couldn't make out. Kikyo's eyes narrowed as she approached.

"What did you say?"

Kagome smiled, "Nothing, Kikyo." She said it in the same fake voice Kikyo had used.

Kikyo pursed her lips, "Listen, mini me, you stay away from my boyfriend. I know you want him back and it's not happening. He so into me it's not even funny."

Kagome laughed, "Is that why he was screaming my name in his sleep last night?"

Kikyo stepped forward, putting both her hands on Kagome's shoulders and shoving her into the lockers.

"Stop it, now!" Sango yelled, "I'm still your captain and I have the right to kick you off my team!"

Hearing that, Kikyo stepped back and Kagome took a step away from the lockers. Kikyo turned and walked across the room to her own locker. She grabbed her purse out and walked up to Sango. Sango watched her stick one hand in her bag, coming up with a small square package.

"Next time's on me." She said, handing Sango the package. She winked at Sango, threw a dirty look at Kagome, and walked gracefully out of the room.

Sango and Kagome looked down at the square in Sango's hand. Sure enough, they were looking at a condom.

Kagome chuckled and shook her head, "Slut," she muttered.

Sango handed the condom out to Kagome. Kagome put up her hands in defense, "I don't need that!" She yelled.

Sango sighed and slipped it in her bag, "I'll trash it later."

Kagome turned her back and began walking out the door when Sango gasped.

"Kagome! You have a huge bruise on your back! What the hell?" Sango asked, concerned.

"Hm," Kagome said, "Must have been that lock I hit when Kikyo slammed me in the damn lockers. I thought I felt something."

"I can get her kicked out for that." Sango stated.

"Don't," Kagome said, looking at her bruise in the mirror, "She's not worth it."

* * *

Inuyasha flipped through the channels on his TV. Living in a private school didn't give you much selection but at least they had cable. Remembering that, Inuyasha made due, but he couldn't get Miroku's words out of his head.

_She's waiting for you, idiot._

Inuyasha shook his head and turned his attention to the game show on the TV. The host was just about to reveal what the lovely couple had won, "And the grand prize is…..she's waiting for you, idiot!"

Inuyasha's amber eyes widened and he changed the channel quickly. Now, a soap opera was on. A woman was standing in a classy restaurant, taking to an old flame.

"Why haven't you called me?" the man asked.

"Does it matter? We're here now." The women said, seductively.

The man laughed, "She's waiting for you, idiot." He said.

Inuyasha threw the remote at the TV, the corner hit the power button and the TV flicked off. He stared into the black on the screen for what seemed like forever, when the door opened.

Kagome walked in, shut the door behind her, and dropped her dance bag at her feet. She looked up to see Inuyasha looking back at her. She blushed slightly and turned away, muttering hello, and walking into the kitchen.

Inuyasha listened to her steps as she made her way through the room. Her steps were soft but strong and dominating. He listened to the hollow thud until suddenly, _ccrruunncchhh._

"What the f-" Kagome said, stepping back and looking at the floor. She looked in Inuyasha's direction as he watched her reflection in the TV. He knew what she was going to ask.

"Why is there glass all over the floor?"

Inuyasha shrugged, not wanting to tell the truth, but not wanting to lie either. He just didn't feel the need to comment.

"Your temper," Kagome complained, walking to the closet and pulling out a broom and dustpan.

Inuyasha stared into the TV, watching her reflection sweep up the glass, get it in the dustpan, and throw it in the trash.

"Kagome?" He asked turning around.

"Yes?"

_Are you really waiting for me?_ His mind asked for him.

_Shut up,_ he argued, _that's not what I was going to say._

_It's what you want to say._ His thoughts replied.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, turning around to start the dishes.

Inuyasha looked up at her, he noticed her bruise.

"Kagome, what happened to you?!" Inuyasha asked, jumping off the couch and standing behind her, examining her injury.

Kagome looked uncomfortable, "N-nothing," she stuttered, "I fell…in dance…today. Yes, I fell in dance today."

Inuyasha studied her face, "Okay, now try the truth." He challenged.

Kagome sighed, "You don't want to know, Inuyasha. It will cause more problems than it's worth."

"Kagome," Inuyasha said. His face was so close to hers. She quickly looked down and took a step back. She couldn't lie to him.

She turned around and continued the dishes, willing him to forget about it and leave her alone, but she knew that wasn't happening. He would get it out of her eventually.

"In the locker room, Kikyo and I got into….an argument." Kagome said.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, "She _hit_ you?" he asked.

"No, no" Kagome said, "Shoved. Shoved me into the lockers and I hit one of the locks pretty hard. It was no big deal. I deserved it." She hoped he wasn't the same fearless protector she once knew.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. He walked into his room, pulled his jacket on and headed for the door. Kagome ran to the door and blocked him in, "Don't do anything, Inuyasha, do you hear me? Just forget it!"

"She hurt you, Kagome. I can't forget it!" Inuyasha said.

"Inuyasha, she's your _girlfriend._ You should be mad at me and defending her!"

"Well were not exactly on good terms right now." Inuyasha said.

Kagome stepped back and let herself look deep into his amber eyes, "Why not?" She asked.

She watched him take a deep breath, something she knew he did when he was searching for words.

"We just got into a fight." He said, calmly.

"Yeah I heard."

Inuyasha looked worried, "You did? You didn't hear what we were saying, did you?"

"No," Kagome said, "Why? Should I have?"

"No," Inuyasha said a little too loudly, "It was nothing." He turned away from her and walked to the window, staring out into the darkness.

"Why won't you tell me?" Kagome asked.

"It's nothing, Kagome, just forget about it." He snapped.

"If it's nothing then why won't you tell me?" Kagome questioned.

"Damnit, Kagome, do you want to know that bad?" He whipped around and faced her.

"Yes," she demanded.

Inuyasha sighed, "She wanted me to tell her that she would always come first and I didn't care about you," he turned back to window, staring out blankly, "And I couldn't."

Kagome opened her mouth to say something, but then shut it again. She gathered her thoughts before she said, "And by 'you couldn't', you mean…"

Inuyasha banged his fist against the window, obviously he wasn't planning on having this conversation tonight. "I didn't mean what I said that night in 8th grade. I was just angry, and I wanted to hurt you. I wasn't planning on you walking out like that. I cared about you so much. And…and I still do."

They were silent for a few minutes, before Kagome said, "I need to process this." She spun on her heel and walked quietly into her room, shutting the door softly behind her.


End file.
